I wake up
by RCCD
Summary: A new perspective on Minecraft coming from the eyes of a person who wakes up in the world, and his story of learning, experiencing, and surviving the brutal world of Minecraft. The story is written how the game actually is, and how the game works.
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1: I wake up…

A rising sun blinds me. Blinking rapidly, I let my eyesight adjust. A hard ground beneath me meets my skin. My bed, where is it?

My eyes adjust. I stand up and look around. My mouth drops in horror. Everything around me is in cubic structure. The spherical, soft shapes I am used to seeing are gone. My bed is gone. Where is my bed?

In desperation I see a large hill. I seem to be able to jump up one block at a time. I reach the top. I look around.

I can see out for miles. Cubic wasteland. Block wasteland. My world, where has it gone? Even my own body is cubic. What has happened? I see snow to the north. Is it the north? The sun is moving to the right. I think that is the north. Snow is coming from the north.

I would be cold. What if I freeze to death? I miss my bed. My warm, comfy, smooth, wrinkly, bed. The world is made of blocks. I am lost. I need wood. Wood will give me warmth.

I see a tree in the distance. I try to grab the bark. My hands won't let me grip the tree in any way to grab the bark. I punch the tree in anger. The trunk of the tree obtains a small crack. I punch it several more times. The bottom portion of the tree drops down and *plop* becomes manageable to use. The tree does not topple. Gravity does not affect it. How do I make fire? I think back in history. Cave people used flint and rocks. I don't have either of those. Before that, how did they live in cold weather? They lived in caves. I needed to find a cave.

The sun is at high noon. The snow seems ever present, but stationary for the moment. I am nervous. I travel many, many steps to what I assume is the south. I miss my iPod. I hum music in my head to keep myself entertained and sane. The world is desolate.

I see a dark space in the earth. I go over to it, but a block of dirt is blocking my path. As I near the cave, ominous feelings trickle into my mind. I don't have a shovel to move the dirt block. That is how they moved dirt where I came from. I try punching it. A crack forms. After several more punches, another *plop*, the block is in my hands. I place it above the entrance to the cave. The block does not fall. Gravity does not affect it. I sit in the cave to regain my thoughts. The cave is small. It is only about 5 units in and just tall enough for me to slip in.

I know there is snow. I need to be warm. Where can I find something to start a fire? Lightning? No, the clouds in the sky are white. Friendly. Passive. What about flint and anything to cause friction? Rocks? I turn around and look at the stone wall before me. I try punching the rock. A very tiny crack appears. I punch the rock multiple times again. The crack expands slightly. After punching the rock, it finally breaks. My punching pulverized it into rubble. I can't use that. I need something more efficient. How do I break rock? People get through rock with TNT. I don't have explosives. Oh. That is right. Mining. People used Picks. I need a pick. I look at the materials I have, one wooden block. I can use that for a handle. I quickly strip and smooth out the wood. I get 4 effective planks. Planks would be too uncomfortable as a handle.

I think. Oh. I grab one of the planks and further smooth it out and reduce its size. I get 4 sticks out of this. I don't know how to make a pick though. How do you make tools with nothing? I need a workplace to plan this out. And then the idea pops in my head. A Workbench. How do I make a workbench? I think back. My dad had one in his garage. It was made of wood. I look at the 3 planks remaining in my hand. I need more wood. I look outside. It is near evening. I go outside to find more trees. After reasonable amount of time spent searching, I return as the sky begins to darken. I found 5 blocks of wood. I refine them. 20 planks sit before me. I make the structure as simple as I can. After working on it, I have 16 planks left to spare.

Night is upon the world. I look outside. It is extremely dark. I was always fearful of the dark. I quickly break the dirt block I left outside and place it in front of my entrance. I miss my bed. It was warm. But it led me to this nightmare. Where am I? I do not feel fatigued, though. Back to work. I turn around to plan out a pick. As I turn though, I here a soft moan.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2: The First Night

As I turn though, I here a soft moan.

I quickly turn on the spot. My heart skips a beat. Two arms are flailing through the upper hole at the cave entrance. The arms, they are not normal. Green skin. What? I slowly strafe to the edge of the cave, nervous at what I will see peering at me. Another moan.

Finally the edge of the cave comes clear. A face looks back at me. Two beady eyes long for me. I back up against the edge of the cave. My sticks are still lying on the workbench. The creature still stands there clawing at me through the hole. I can't call it creature. It resembles the zombies I once knew. It is a zombie. Another moan.

The zombie cannot get through my entrance. My body loses its touch of paralysis. I am safe. My thinking to block the entrance was a good idea. I walk over to the workbench. What if the zombie can punch the block? But its intelligence seems weak. I am not afraid. A weapon would be good to have on me. What can I make with a bunch of sticks and some planks? Memories of my childhood flood me. We played with sticks. We swung them in slashing motions. I can make a sword. Another moan.

I get to work. My materials seem to taunt me, but I can make it work. I quickly create more sticks for handles. I might need more. I look at the back of the small cavern I entered. I can mine into it with a pick. I still need flint. Flint has to be somewhere. If cavemen could get flint, I can get flint. The zombie's shadow dances off the walls in the moonlight. Another moan.

I have the handles in place. I work on the sword first. Anybody can make a sword. I fashion out two planks on the stick handle. Roughing down the edges and smoothing it makes it more of a blade shape. I lift up my creation. It feels cumbersome in my hands. I was a kid once. I can use a sword. I turn back to the zombie. Another moan.

I step near the entrance. The zombie still fights to get to me. The beady, black, empty, eyes glare at mine. It wants me. I take a swing at the zombie. A clean hit. The zombie jumps back in a grunt. Of pain? In my old world, they can't feel pain. This world is different. Maybe they can? Who knows. The zombie walks right back to my entrance. It stands there reaching in. I take another swing. Another grunt and the zombie jumps back. This is easy. I look at my blade. It seems somewhat damaged. Oh well. Wood is not a heavy material. The zombie walks back. It continues its unending fight to get to me. I take another swing. The zombie jumps back in another grunt of pain. The zombie won't quit. Neither will I. Several swings later, it jumps back the final time. In a puff of dust, its corpse is gone. Curiously, it leaves behind a feather. I will collect the feather in due time. I need a pick. I start humming to myself again, entertainment is key. No more moans interrupt that night.

I need a pick. I look at the handle I fashioned. How will I make the top. I don't know much about picks. I just know miners swing them at pieces of rock. People swung them at pieces of rock. There is no more people left that I know of. But I do recall something. Watching TV as a kid. What did people in jail have. They had a ball and chain. What else did they have? They have a pick. The tops were like upside down U's. I can make a pick. Thank you childhood.

I set to work. I smooth and work on more pieces of planks to fashion them to my tastes. I have a pick. A feeling of strength sweeps through my body. I made a pick. I killed a zombie. I will survive. I turn to the wall behind me. The stone wall. The wall that can be punched through, but yields nothing as a result. I swing with the pick. The motion comes naturally. I feel at ease as the pick strikes the rock. A crack forms. I swing again. A bigger crack forms. Several more swings. The block breaks. The rubble seems manageable to use. I grab it. I start swinging at another block of stone. I am successful at this too. I look at my pick. It has several small cuts and dents in the woodwork already. I will need a new pick. Can this stone be used to make a pick? I will check in the future.

I look at the entrance window. Dawn. Spears of light cut through the sky. I see several fires in the distance. I will investigate this further. I take a peak at the rest of the surrounding landscape. No zombies. It seems safe. I break the entrance block. I look at the ground. The feather. That feather, dropped from the zombie. A threat. A victory. A reward. I pick up the feather and store it. It may be useful. I take a look around me. The sun rises even further. A mountain to the right. A small distance, but walkable. I will set out in a bit. I need to get a grip of my surroundings. The anxiety that loomed over me is gone. With a pick in the hand, I feel purpose. I feel power. A new day awaits, lets take advantage of it.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3: A new day awaits, lets take advantage of it.

With pick in hand, I start the journey. The distance looks small. Horizontally, yes. Vertically, not so much. Hills make my path more tedious. If I wasn't in this block hell, these hills would be described as rolling hillsides. They are just annoyances. After jumping up and over one hill, a small lake greats me. Water. Sweet, blue water. I walk towards it. Despite not drinking or eating anything for a day, I feel nothing. Even unfatigued from my journey. I wonder on that, but the water seems more inviting. I push the thought from my mind. I slowly walk into the water and instantly feel encumbered and slowed. My childhood flashed through my mind. Back then water was fun and refreshing. Now it is an annoyance. It fights my movements. It is an enemy.

I get out of the water, and notice the lack of the feeling of wetness. I push the thought out of my mind. One more hill to conquer until the mountain climb. One hill. At the base of the hill there is a small pile of dirt. Six blocks. I walk over and punch through them and collect them, they may prove useful. I then start the climb over the final hill. After reaching the top, I quickly turn around to follow the path I took. I see the hill by my cave. I should be fine. I make a mental note that a compass would be helpful. How do I make a compass? I have little idea. I will just have to use the sun as a guide on my journey. I turn back around. My stomach sinks.

A large overhanging cliff sits before me. Shadows etch themselves along the stone bottom. They make faces. They laugh at my misfortune. How could I not see this? The hills. They blocked my line of sight. Why is the environment hindering me so? Enemies. All of it. As I gaze up at the perilous mountain climb I will have to make, I pick up muffled steps behind me, and then a soft snort. I quickly turn around sword drawn.

A block? A pig. A block pig gazes at me. It snorts again, and starts bouncing up and down. I can't help, but feel elated. To what I thought was a zombie was a bouncing pig. It snorts again, and then takes off down the hill. Feeling better, I turn back towards the mountain, putting my sword away. For once I am happy the world is blocks. I might be able to make the climb now. If this was my old life, I wouldn't be even close to having the gear needed to scale this. I look to each side wondering what my best course of action would be. The shadows remain etched on the stones, laughing at me.

On the left the overhang goes straight into the earth. I don't see how that could easily be scalable. The pick becomes more noticeable in my hand. I could dig my way up. It would be like that old arcade game I used to play. But then logic hits me. I need a way down too, and I don't know how falling works in this world. Blocks don't seem to obey gravity. Maybe I don't either? I can try. I jump with all my strength, but come down just as fast as I would in my old world. That is unfortunate. There has to be a way up, and a way down. Left will not work.

Straight ahead of me is a no go. The overhanging cliff still looms ominously. If it collapsed now I would die. Startled I stop. I was walking without paying attention to the cliff face. I was unconsciously awed by its size. Its majestic appeal. Annoyed at my movements, I turn to the right of the cliff. A large, what I assume is sand, overhang comes out there as well, about half way up the cliff. It connects with a side passage on an upper top part of the cliff to if I can scale it well. The bottom portion of the sand overhang conveniently connects to the ground as well. The pig I saw earlier is bouncing over there. At least the animals seem on my side.

After walking over, I can confirm the texture. Sand. It looked weird hanging over the ground. Why don't these blocks have a problem fighting gravity? I shrug and start the climb. Ten blocks high I finally reach the top of the sand overhang. Fifteen or so blocks further down my path leads some stair-like stones leading to the top of the entire mountain, about fifteen more blocks above me. I glance at the small portion of the mountain side slightly over my head. The shadows were laughing again. Their hideous faces turned into grins. I start walking over the sand. Along the way, a group of four blocks of sand stand above the rest. It looked curious there, on an otherwise flat structure. As I stared at it, I remembered from school that sand was one of the components of glass. Well it couldn't hurt to take it and it isn't like it is part of my path. I walk over and start punching a block. It succumbs quickly, and I turn to the next. As I start punching the block I hear a muffled thump. And then another. I step back looking around. Thump. What? Thump. I take another step back. Right as I do that, the ground I was just on collapses. Another block drops. And then another. I quickly realize I am just sitting there and take off going to the stone staircase on the side of the mountain. Thump. Thump. Thump. The entire overhang is falling block by block, but quickly. A pit forms in front of me, but I narrowly jump it. After what I would guess at seven seconds, I reach the safe stones and turn around. The entire sand portion of the overhang is sitting in a pile of the ground. My time to test gravity was not going to happen yet. I look around. No way down as of yet though.

The stone staircase is conveniently cut into the mountain side as if somebody had already done this before me. After several jumps up, I reach the top. A tree rests here. Green. Peaceful. Clouds seem close enough to touch, but are still far out of reach. I look around the surroundings. On the opposite side of the cave I built rests what looks to be a large lake...or sea. All I see is water. An enemy. I look behind me. In the distance even higher mountains. Peaks reaching the clouds. Snow covers most of the area and a lot to my left. It has not moved since I last seen it or eased up. I then turn around, to see past the sand overhang. Hills litter the area, but a large treeline is in the distance, and very tall trees by what I can see. I also see another body of water, but smaller. A lake. It has to be. I turn back towards the cave I hid in. Small in the distance. But it is my home as of now. I take the feather out of my pocket and look at it. A victory over the mountain. I wanted a reward. With a childish instinct, I let the feather float gently through the wind, and out of my line of vision. It amused me. The pig I saw earlier bounces over a hill and out of sight. I then turn towards the sun to check on the time. It is late afternoon. Time to return. But as I step down the staircase, a wave of darkness lightly sweeps the land. I quicken my pace.

I reach the end of the staircase and look down. A ten block drop looks back at me. I think. How do I get down? I look to the left and see the side of a stone cliff face. I can mine sideways down it. I quickly start. Another wave of darkness sweeps across the land. I underestimated the lateness in the day. I quickly dig half way down, but as I do, I see another wave of darkness sweep across the land. I am in panic. What if I see another zombie? I finally look over the edge. A five block drop. I jump. After what seemed eternity I hit the ground and feel my first pain. Just a little, but the drop did not feel good. I then turn towards the hills to my house right when the darkness finishes its dominance. Night rules the land. As I start toward the first hill, A large black mass leaps over the top and looks at me.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4: Survival of the Fittest

I pulled out my sword. Wooden, but still affective. I could not make out the outline of the creature from its distance. As it drew closer, I noticed a red mask of eyes on its face. All glaring at me. All with hunger. Just like the zombie. As it drew closer I noticed its shape even more. Eight lags danced around each other as it skittered towards me. Luckily I wasn't born with arachnophobia. I stepped forward and took a swing with my blade. A clean slice. Through open air. I mistimed the speed of the arachnid, the spider. It seemed to take a defensive approach at this point noticing my weapon. A shrill screech came out of its mouth. The sound made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It was almost of the sound of what a Banshee would shrill, but with a distinguishable click of the spiders mandibles in the mix. Despite this, I didn't let the creature scare me. The sword made me feel powerful. I stepped forward to take another swing. The spider jumped forward at the same time.

A clean hit against the spider. It flew back a distance and gave an audible click of pain. I stepped forward again to continue my volley. That is when I noticed another black shape moving at me from the corner of my eye. I quickly took a quick swipe at the closest spider and then jumped back to the one next to me who just took a lunge at me. I did not want to fight two adversaries at once. As the first spider noticed his new advantage, he gave out another cry and took the offensive and went after me. I darted around and took off. I had a plan, and I had a feeling it would be very effective.

Climbing the first hill wasn't the same painstaking process as before. The rush I was in now made it go five times faster. I chanced a glance over my shoulder and noticed the spiders a little slow on the chase. Their specialty was over open ground, and ambushes. Not climbing hills. I can do this. A quick thought jumped into my mind as I wondered what would happen if I got bit or hurt from those. I can feel pain, I felt it falling from that mountain, and I bet a spider bite wouldn't feel much better. I wouldn't chance it, if I got poisoned or infected, I would have no way to help that. I saw the small lake I went through earlier and charged over to it. As I reached the edge, I started placing a block high wall around the edges of it. I finished and quickly mined two more blocks of dirt to be able to finish out the job. Right as I crushed the second block, the two spiders bounced over the hill and made a beeline to my position. I dodged behind a side of the wall I made. The spiders lost sight of me, and in their attempts to get to me faster, jumped the first wall. Right into the water. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Thank you, Water. The spiders tried to jump out at me, but it was too late. By the time they even got to the other side, slowly pursuing me at this point, I had a ceiling being caved over them. They couldn't jump high enough to reach the top, and as I shoved my last block in place, they were now stuck headfirst in water. I gave it thirty seconds and then broke back through the blocks. No more spiders. I felt thrilled at my own wit. As I started breaking the blocks around the lake to reclaim them, I noticed three pieces of what looked like string floating in the water. That could be useful, and I took them. I finished off the blocks and breathed a sigh of relief. A moan broke the silence. The moment of relief left as quickly as it came.

I turned around and met those beady eyes. Those black dots, empty of anything. But through that cave of darkness you could still see that same hunger, it wanted me. I took out my sword again, understanding this time no block sat between us, he could reach me if he got close enough. I started backing up, just fast enough to keep out of his reach as I planned how to attack him. His arms were near as long as my blade. I would have to be very good about my approach and timing. As I came across this realization though, I backed right into the block ridge behind me. I hit panic mode. I turned to and took a step to the right to dodge the blow of the zombie. But I was too slow. The zombie smashed me with his arm with surprising strength and I was knocked back a few blocks. I felt a soreness pulse through my body and for the first time, I didn't feel that normal 100% I experienced the past while. I took a few more steps now wary of the ridge behind me. The zombie mindlessly kept walking towards me and let out a moan, I took a pace forward and swung, and got my first blow. The zombie was knocked back and grunted, but before it could retaliate I was already chasing it down and swung again. This strategy decimated it and it disappeared in a puff of smoke after a few more swings. I need to get home. Home. My cave.

I climbed over the next hill. The soreness of that blow still pulsed through my body. As I looked around I saw many blobs and shapes in the distance of the night. The moon not lighting them up enough to see what they were. As I started climbing down though I missed the shape hiding in a corner to my left. Lying in wait for me to pass it unnoticed.

I walked down the slope and heard something behind me. I turned around, sword drawn out again. As the moonlight shown across it, I could not help but notice the many dings and scratches that etched the surface. I will deal with that later. The creature in front of me quickly pushed that thought out of my mind. I gazed at the thing coming at me, it seemed bipedal, with various shades of greens making up its body, which just seemed to be a skinny trunk with no arms. Like a mossy branch with legs I thought vividly. As I looked into its face though, I almost lost it. A horrid, depressed face stared back at me and drew me completely off guard. Two blank eyes with nothing in them at all, no hunger, no sadness, no anger, stared at me as it drew closer. The mouth in a frown that seemed so punctual it churned sadness into my emotions. I hesitated for a second. I would soon pay for that decision.

As it drew within a block of me, a slow hiss erupted from the creature. It made me think of all the pop cans I opened as a kid, a slow "tsssssssssss". Still keeping the presence of mind at least to know this was probably an enemy, I swung my sword to keep it away. As the sword made contact, the creature bounced back, but half a second later an explosion rocked into my body and I dropped several blocks down. Smoke filled the air and blurred my vision for the first few seconds. As I came around, a fairly large crater was blasted out around me. I breathed heavily for a moment, and noticed the huge courses of pain going through my body. Pulse after pulse hit me. I knew I had to get to my home as quick as possible. I climbed out of the hole and started working over the final hill. As I reached the top, I heard a new sound. Twung. I didn't know what that was at first, but did not want to wait for the confirmation, I needed to get home. I didn't have to wait though as right then an arrow sliced through the air in front of me and landed in the grass. I took off as fast as I could to my home. Twung. Another arrow wizzed by, nearly hitting me again. As I went into the entrance of my cave, I quickly turned around and started blocking up the entrance, at the last second I saw a skeleton with a bow and arrow taking one last shot at me from a distance. I moved out of the way just in time to see an arrow fly through the open hole, which I finished off with another dirt block and sat in the darkness. In pain, but safe. I was back home.


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5: Pigs, Planning, and Preparation

Darkness enveloped me as I sat in the cave. Several more thumps were heard outside, but very muffled. These monstrosities came out in the darkness, what if they could come around in my cave? I shrugged the detail off. I did not want to think about the consequences of that if went unchecked. I did not know how much more blows the blocky body I had could stand. I shuddered at the thought, and I felt the pain throughout my body. It wasn't the sharp pain, like a bee sting or getting a shot, but the type where your body had a bruise on every square inch of it and every slight brush of something seared. A touch of hunger was also felt at the pit of my stomach, something that I haven't felt the past two days. Step one that day, food.

I walked over to where I knew the entrance block was and punched out the top block to make another window. I needed to know the time of day, and needed the light. Luckily, no monsters were out to greet me. The monsters. One of them exploded. An entire crater just sitting in the ground from it. I had no idea how I survived it, but I needed to keep a watch more often. I didn't even notice it until the last second, it just sort of creeped up on me. And its face. It looked horrifying as I recalled it. It stopped me dead in my tracks, hesitating at the gruesome site. Next time I saw one, I couldn't let it get close to me. I sighed. As I did though, I remembered Swiper from Dora the Explorer. My little sister always watched that show, always chanted out, "Swiper, no swiping!" along with Dora. Swiper swiped, the monster creeped. I smiled and designated calling it a Creeper.

Over the horizon, the sunlight broke through the pressuring darkness. More spears of light shot through the sky, decimating all the monstrosities of the night. Like warriors themselves, they fought for the land and kept it clean. That is what I saw as I stared out the window. I needed that power. I didn't have electricity, but I can figure out how to make fire. I still had little idea where flint was found, that would have to be another priority, step two. As I turned my back on the burning monstrosities in the background, my eyes fell back upon my workbench. I had collected some stone, lets see if I could make a pick out of it. I then pulled out my sword to check on its quality. A huge banana shaped slice was flawed into the left side of the blade. The end was very dull, I doubted it could even scratch me. I discarded it into the corner. Workbench time.

The stones fit together very well, and after rubbing it down and fitting on the handles, two stone picks and a stone sword sat in front of me. Beautiful. I had to mine some more into my cave to get enough materials, but I succeeded. I looked at my wooden pick, which was in the same condition as my old sword. I threw it in the same corner, and turned to go outside. As I punched the block open, a pig bounced from the hill above me right in front of my path outside. I was about to pass it ignoring it when I got a thought. A pig...possibly bacon? I turned toward the pig and it looked at me, snorted, and started bouncing away. Normally I would condone the slaughter of animals, but this was a block pig and I needed the food. Time to try out my new sword.

After only a few slashes, the pig was gone. As it turned into a puff of smoke, two slabs of pork drifted to the ground. I still wondered how these objects would come into being, but at the point it was not important. I picked up the pork, and decided to eat it raw. I was just too hungry. After both slices, the pain running through my body greatly subsided, and I felt no hunger. I can survive. I will live. The meat was still rubbery in my mouth and not the best quality, but if I could find fire I could possibly cook it. Step one completed, time for step two: acquire a source of fire. Where to find flint? I decided the best course of action was going to the mountain overhang to look. I dreaded walking up the hills, but didn't have much of a choice.

A shorter hike then expected took place, as I knew my way in the area better. The crater from that creeping monster still sat in the sun, exposing the layers of stone underneath the ground. As I reached over the final hill, I saw in the distance something I missed previously. A small pond in the distance with some plants growing around it. Memories of my mothers bamboo came into my mind. It sat in the corner for years, strong and stout. I recalled the story of my father passing onto me of the bamboo, ever resilient and brave, and I should follow it in that respect. I was too young at the time to think much about it, but it made sense now. I also recalled bamboo being used as crafting materials, so I went over to the pond to see if I could collect it.

As I approached, I realized with a sinking feeling it looked like normal reeds. Oh well, might be useful. I took out the stalks from the base, and the entire thing crashed down to be picked up. It was only three blocks high, but it was taller then me. I grabbed 12 pieces, and left some extra growing just in case I found a good use for these later on. I then turned back and trudged over to the mountain.

The overhang looked the same from yesterday, writing out the large pile of sand to the side of it. If flint was here, it would be near the base of the mountain in the stone. I walked closer. The shadows today did not seem hostile. They still had that wicked smile, but it was as if watching a game with strings they were pulling. Mischievous, but not dangerous. Approaching the wall pushed into my view several stone blocks lined with black specs. Flint!

Quickly taking out my pick, I carved through the rock to collect the pieces. It wasn't flint, but as I picked it up I recognized it. Coal. Powdery dust laden my fingers as I took it and mined the rest out. More memories of campfires in the forest with my family, using coal to fuel the flames after the initial start. Maybe...? I would test it out later. The vein ran fairly deep into the mountain and gave myself a respectable 14 pieces of coal to use. I happily traunched on back home.

I settled into the cave and took out the materials I still had. I looked at my wooden sticks, I had plenty of spare still to make handles. I tossed them to the side for later. The reeds I found I could not think of a use for. Oh well. Nothing wrong with being a pack rat. I then took out the coal. Maybe I could keep a fire going with this. I still did not think I had the means of starting one, unless with a lot of friction. I tossed the coal off to the side and out of the corner of my eye, one of the pieces slid onto the end of a stick. In a quick sizzling sound and a pop, a fire lay there. What the!

I took chemistry and knew that things like that just did not happen. I kicked the piece of coal away from the stick and stomped both out. What the hell? I then brought both together again and once again a fire lit. Well I didn't know too much about this world I suppose, but you learn something new every day. And it hit me, I had fire! Finally something in the past day really went right for me and my body celebrated within itself. I got an idea. I re-stomped out both stick and coal and using the edge of my sword, dug a small slot into the edge of the coal. I then placed the stick into the slot and the fire sprang up, but now the coal would stay on the stick. I broke the stick into smaller parts from the base of it, and broke the larger sizes of coals into smaller parts as well and created a set of these torches. I turned around to my cave wall, used my pick to create a small incision into a stone block on the wall, and inserted the torch into the essential bracket. Haha I had light!


	6. Chapter 5 Part 2

CHAPTER 5.5: Fight and Flight; The Rules

I relaxed inside my cave for the rest of the evening. Carving and working to make it more home suitable. With torches lining the walls, the place looked very nice and comfortable. Safe. I also placed a series of torches around my house to give myself a better viewing area for my home and it would be easier to spot from long distances. Hopefully they would last a long time, the sticks did not seem to be burning low or anything so I kept my hopes up. Even with the sun descending the steps of its sleep, I was not scared of the night tonight, I knew I could handle it. As I relaxed though, I went back over my items, and learned some new techniques. I created an efficient stone hatchet with my stone and sticks, and also managed to tie the spider string well enough to make a bow. I didn't have any arrows nor the experience with it, but it was a start. The reed I collected could be carved thin into a paper like substance, and with my charcoal I could draw on it with the dust to keep myself entertained. All and all it was a good day. I even started to keep a mundane record of the things I did, including a set of rules I would need to start enforcing. With all the paper I got, I worked it into a book, and made the title:

Survival of the Fittest; My Rules to Life

1. Do your work during the day. Finish in the evening. Defend in the night. Cancel your work early if you won't make it home before sundown.

2. Keep sane. I am alone, I need to hum to myself, draw pictures, whatever it takes to entertain myself.

3. Keep supplies in pristine condition. Nicks and dents in your sword? Make a new one before it breaks. The last thing you need is a fight where you get backed up into a corner, and your weapon breaks.

4. Feel pain? Eat. It seems to posses healing qualities, so when in doubt, kill the pig and eat his pork.

5. Sand doesn't posses the qualities of other known blocks, it will fall if truffled with and has no other block under it. Other blocks will hang in the air no matter what.

6. Think fast, defense first. Don't get over cocky or underestimate the opponent. '

7. When in doubt, run.

8. Don't mine straight down, or straight up. You don't know what is under or above you.

9. Water is as much of an enemy as it is a friend, don't walk into it, it slows you, but enemies will walk into it without knowing that.

After those, I included a bestiary of all I knew of the animals and monsters I encountered. It wasn't much, but it passed time. Finally it was night. I drew my sword out, time to learn more about these enemies.


	7. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6: Welcome to the Jungle

Finally it was night. I drew my sword out, time to learn more about these enemies.

My makeshift dirt block door was gone in several slashes, resulting in a friendly *plop* as the block again went into a manageable form. As I look into the distance, moonlight bathes the area around me in light. Predictably, I am not alone.

My knowledge of the area does prove useful though. Near the sea I believe I can see several spiders and what looked to be a Creeper. The rolling hills around me depict a scene of Zombies and Skeletons relishing in the darkness. Each one was mindlessly trotting around as if some unknown goal was in mind for them. But I know their goal. Getting rid of me. The simplicities of this world provide simple answers.

I turned around to place two dirt blocks for another makeshift door. I need to think about crafting an actual door, but I push that aside for a chore for tomorrow. In fact, as I take a final glance at the dirt hubble I call a house, I decide I should try to find a more suitable place. The house was amateur, but I am to think myself beginning to be experienced in this world.

And lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice a lone skeleton archer prowling towards me. But I miraculously took a step backwards right in time. An arrow flung before my vision with the normal twung accompanying it. I turned quickly and found myself face to face to my first battle situation with a ranged opponent. I remembered playing Ocarina of Time on my N64 and couldn't help playing some boss battle music in my head. I smirked. The skeleton shot.

Twung. I sidestepped to the left right in time, and then took a step forward and slashed my stone sword. The blade connected, and stone met bone. However, the bone crunching victory I expected did not happen, instead, the skeleton hissed at me as it fell back, and unexpectedly was very quick on the counterattack. Twung. It hit me. This pain was new. A searing sensation came from where the arrow hit me, and then came to the familiar dull pain pulse that I recognized to be my body hating me. Twung. A second arrow hit me. I looked down and saw no arrows interwebbed into my blocky body, but I could feel from the pain concentration that both shots had to be chest shots.

I wouldn't chance it this time. As if adrenaline and stupidity took over my mind, I charged the skeleton and made several quick blows to ensure its death. It dropped into a puff of smoke, and left behind an arrow. I would have rather had a heart container I noted as the boss battle music in my head ended, but I do have a bow. Now I have ammo. But as I took another step, dreadful realization hit me. My body was not up for standing much longer. I didn't think I could take another hit. I took a few steps back and bumped into my house door. I then quickly turned around, eager to enter. Bloody freaking hell.

A creeper was running across its dirt roof towards me. I took several steps back and heard the familiar, but dreaded, "tssssssssssss". With a leap back, another explosion rocked my body, but it was merely a glancing blow. I managed to get out of range fairly well. But as the smoke cleared, and the ground stopped smoldering, my heart sank in a terrible sadness.

My house was gone. I walked up to it, unaware of all the enemies slowly heading towards me. The items inside miraculously were intact, just scattered. The walls, roof and some of the foundation though were obliterated. I jumped what remained of the front wall and collected the remains inside. I knew I insulted the house earlier, I knew I wanted to move to a location with more grandeur, but this was still my first attempt at safety. This was my safety. And as that thought crossed my mind, I heard a dreaded screech from a spider. Twung.

I sat there waiting for this final arrow to hit me, my body ready to give up. But it did not. The arrow sailed over my head, hitting the spider directly in front of me causing it to screech again in rage and bounce back several blocks. I turned around and saw a dreadful sight. An archer, two zombies, and two creepers were all flying down the hill at me. I only had one way out, and a spider blocked it.

I turned around just as I heard another twung. The spider was just about to jump at me when it was slammed by another arrow. With that thought in mind, I pulled out my newly fashioned bow, knocked my single arrow, and aimed it. With a surprising force, the arrow raced from my bow into the spider, turning the spider into a puff of smoke. Celebration raced across my mind as I ran ahead. In the horizon, more glee awaited me.

Rays of the sun shot out across the land, illuminating the darkness once again, and fighting the battles I left behind. As the sun came up, I looked behind to see the welcome sight of several fires dotting the landscape. Go Team Sun I thought cheesily. But despite this victory, was it really worth it. I lost my house. My body constantly reminded me every second of the amount of pain it was in. The day was beginning, and I had to find a new house. A home.


End file.
